Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
06:23

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota

Published on: February 15, 2019

14.8K

Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Composition at Species Level and Gut Microbiota Diversity in Infants before 6 Weeks

Bo Yang1,2,3, Yingqi Chen1,2, Catherine Stanton3,4,5

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Infant gut microbiota composition significantly differs based on delivery and feeding methods. Standard vaginal delivery and breastfeeding promote higher abundance and diversity of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infant Health
  • Gut Microbiome Research

Background:

  • The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in infant development and health.
  • Delivery mode (vaginal vs. Cesarean section) and feeding practices (breastfeeding vs. formula feeding) are known to influence infant gut microbial colonization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of different delivery and feeding modes on the gut microbiota composition of early infants.
  • To specifically analyze the abundance and diversity of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species.

Main Methods:

  • Sequencing of 16S rRNA V3-V4 regions and specific bifidobacterial and lactobacilli groEL genes from infant fecal samples using Illumina MiSeq.
  • Comparative analysis of gut microbiota composition across different delivery (standard vaginal delivery [SVD] vs. Cesarean section [CS]) and feeding groups (breast-fed [BF], milk-powder-fed [MPF], mixed-fed [MF]).

Main Results:

  • Gut microbiota abundance was significantly higher in SVD and BF groups compared to CS, MPF, and MF groups.
  • Unclassified Enterobacteriaceae was dominant, followed by Bifidobacterium, which was highly abundant in SVD and BF groups.
  • Dominant Bifidobacterium species included B. longum subsp. longum, B. longum subsp. infantis, and B. animalis subsp. lactis. B. dentium and Bifidobacterium diversity were higher in SVD and BF groups.
  • Lactobacillus species L. rhamnosus and L. gasseri were dominant; however, Lactobacillus diversity was higher in CS and MPF groups.
  • Functional predictions indicated significant differences in pathways like the phosphotransferase system and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism between groups.

Conclusions:

  • Delivery mode and feeding methods significantly shape the gut microbiota composition in early infants.
  • These differences, particularly in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus communities, have substantial implications for infant physiological functions.
  • The study highlights the importance of considering delivery and feeding practices for infant gut health and development.

Keywords:
Bifidobacterium communitiesLactobacillus communitiesdiversityfunctional predictiongut microbiotainfants

More Related Videos

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice07:54

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice

Published on: July 25, 2017

14.7K
Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems06:58

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

7.5K

Related Concept Videos

Keystone Species01:39

Keystone Species

Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a...
24.2K
What is a Species?01:17

What is a Species?

Overview
49.5K
Formation of Species01:31

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.
44.8K
Classifying Matter by Composition03:35

Classifying Matter by Composition

Matter: Pure Substances and Mixtures
According to its composition, the matter can be classified into two broad categories — pure substances and mixtures. 
A pure substance is a form of matter that has a constant composition throughout with uniform properties. For example, any sample of sucrose has the same composition and same physical properties, such as melting point, color, and sweetness, regardless of the source from which it is isolated. 
A mixture is composed of two or...
89.8K
Levels of Organization01:09

Levels of Organization

Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth's biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
139.0K
Diversity of Archaea I01:30

Diversity of Archaea I

Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms, are classified into five major phyla based on genetic and biochemical characteristics: Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota. Among these, the phylum Euryarchaeota is notable for its remarkable diversity in morphology, metabolism, and ecological adaptations.Morphological and Metabolic DiversityMembers of Euryarchaeota exhibit a variety of cellular shapes, including rods and cocci. Their metabolic pathways...
566